Poisons and Explosive Precursors

Certain substances and mixtures are precursors and can be misused for the illicit manufacture of explosives. The European Union Action Plan on Enhancing the Security of Explosives, adopted by the Council on 18 April 2008, called on the Commission to establish a standing committee on precursors to consider measures and prepare recommendations concerning the regulation of explosives precursors available on the market, taking into account their cost- benefit effects.

The Standing Committee on Precursors identified various explosives precursors that are susceptible to being used to detrimental effect and recommended that appropriate action be taken at Union level.

Some Member States already had well-established registration systems, used to control the making available on the market of some or all of the substances restricted by this Regulation which are not to be made available to members of the general public.

In order to ensure the greatest degree of uniformity for economic operators, a regulation was considered the most appropriate legal instrument to regulate the marketing and use of explosives precursors. This was published as Regulation (EC) 98/2013

In 2015 the UK merged national regulation on Explosive Precursors with those designed to control poisons in the supply chain

The Control of Poisons and Explosive Precursors Regulations were published as S.I. 2015 No. 966

SIG have introduced a reporting mechanism throughout their supply chain for 'suspicious' transactions as required of distributors and retailers by the regulation.

Transactions would be refused for suspicious activity, such as being unfamiliar with the intended use by the customer, unusual quantities or combinations, no proof of identity or payment by large amounts of cash.

Suppliers to SIG are required to declare if any substance or mixture is listed in the regulation as either a poison or explosive pre-cursor to facilitate the implementation of supply chain controls

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